Be Healthier (and Lighter)
in the New Year

In the U.S., 97 million adults (55%) and approximately 1 in 5 children, between the ages of 6 and 17, are considered overweight or obese. On average, 33-40% of women and 20-24% of men are working towards losing weight, with most people regaining almost twothirds of weight loss within one year and all of the loss within five years.*

Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers in both men and women. This is a serious medical condition for children as well, due to the health problems they will experience as they grow older.

Try these four proven guidelines that can help you and your family take steps towards a healthier lifestyle:

4 Weight Management Tips for the Whole Family

1) Visit Your Doctor

There are many recommendations for “healthy eating,” but it’s difficult to know which foods are best for you. In many instances, general recommendations are unable to meet your personal needs. To find a physician who can assist with weight loss, call 1-800-642-0101.

2) Keep a Journal

Write down everything that you eat and drink. Review the list and work to eliminate foods with high calories and low nutrition. Likely offenders are iced tea, soda, bread, energy drinks, french fries, and snacks.

3) Follow a Program

Weight can be managed successfully with the help of a Bariatrician, a weight management specialist, who can
design a personalized program to meet your unique needs. To learn more, call Dr. Sean Saedi at 301-593-6844
or visit The Greater Washington Weight Loss Center. If you are considering Gastric Bypass surgery, visit a Gastric Bypass Support Group to learn more about the procedure. Call 1-800-542-5096 for details.

4) Be Active

Parking your car farther away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking during your lunch break are
simple ways to incorporate exercise into your day.

If you suffer from arthritis or joint pain, exercise can help to ease pain and increase strength and stability. Consider these tips as you get started:

• Before exercise, apply heat to the joints you’ll be working.
• Move your joints gently as a warm up.
• Exercise with slow and easy movement. If you start noticing pain, take a break.
• Ice your joints after exercising.

If you continue to experience joint pain and would like to speak to a joint pain specialist, call Dr. Zohair Alam
at 301-565-3301.

Tastier and More Nutritious Meals in 8 Steps

Experiment with some of the tips below to make new healthier versions of your family's favorite holiday dishes.

Reduce or Replace High Calorie Ingredients to Reduce Fat

1. Use non-stick spray or pans. 2. Substitute smaller amounts of liquid oils, such as canola oil, for less healthy solid fats such as shortenings, butter, and margarine. Use 1/2 to 2/3 cup oil to replace 1 cup of solid fat. 3. Decrease chocolate chips, nuts and coconut by 1/2 or replace with other high flavor ingredients, such as dried cherries. 4. Use low or fat-free products in place of full-fat versions of ingredients such as sour cream, cream cheese, half & half, and margarine. 5. If you are diabetic, low-fat ingredients can often increase carbohydrate content. Be sure to account for the extra carbohydrates in your meal planning.

Add Extra Flavor and Texture

6. Increase spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. 7. Add new flavorings, such as almond extract, coconut flavoring, mint flavoring, extra cocoa powder, and lemon zest. 8. Add texture with wheat germ, oat bran, bran cereals, berries, or grated fruits like apples. For more information on nutrition counseling and education, call 301-891-5020. Our Registered Dieticians are available to assist you and your family with meal planning, lifestyle change, and behavior modification to promote healthy eating and overall well-being. Or to sign-up for our FREE nutrition cooking class, call 1-800-542-5096. Source: Diabetes Care and Education

 

 

*National Institutes of Health; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey